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Sunday, July 12, 2015

Where's the Beef, Yo?

I'm really late on covering this transaction because it took me an unusually long time to find this simple base card for the Cubs latest pitching acquisition. Oopsie.

The Cubs shipped third-string catcher "Beef" Welington Castillo to Seattle more than a month ago in exchange for the live-armed reliever Yoervis Medina. Thus, the silly puns in the post title.

When the Cubs signed the "aged" David Ross to essentially be Jon Lester's personal catcher and traded for the pitch framing Rembrandt Miguel Montero to start behind the dish, the former starter was displaced from the roster.... or so we thought.

Everyone in the league knew the Cubs wanted to deal Beef, so it was rather difficult for Theo and Co. to strike a deal to their liking - leverage and all that. So, on the roster he stayed through spring and the first month+ of the season.

While some would say that the Cubs waited too long and should have made a package deal with Travis Wood or someone long ago, Medina has potential to be a shut down, late inning arm. That said, he's spent most of his time in Iowa refining his control.

As for Beef, Seattle must have been more interested in getting rid of Yo, seeing as he was flipped to Arizona just about a week later. That provided for some poetic closure, seeing as Arizona's catching dearth was caused by the Northsider's trade for Montero.

What a long and tangled web we weave.

No matter, I've finally closed the book on this transaction by finding a Yoervis Medina card to add to my Cubs All-Time Roster Collection.

However, speaking of catchers and roster moves, the Cubbies sent OF Mike Baxter back to AAA this afternoon to clear space for the aforementioned David Ross on the active roster; Ross had been placed on the 7-day concussion list.

Since Miggy Montero jammed his finger in yesterday's contest against the South Siders, the Cubs opted to keep Taylor Teagarden instead of Baxter through the All Star break.

I've been waiting for a roster move involving Mike to feature his addition to the CATRC, since it's just a run of the mill 2013 base card and isn't exciting enough to merit attention otherwise. So, he's there now.

While he may or may not be back after this Cincy sabbatical, I like having him around just so that I can yell "It's Baxter!" every time he does something notable.

But, as of now, the poor guy has been punted from the roster.

I hope Mike handled the news better than the Anchorman himself, Ron Burgundy!

That does it for today's pun heavy post, I'll be here all week (and then some). Don't forget to tip your waitress.